(1/26) Permaculture... It’s a word thats being thrown around, discussed, dissected and idolized by some gardeners in recent years. I thought I knew what it was until someone asked me to define it. So I looked up ‘permaculture’ and I found out! It is no till gardening, it is gardening with nature, it is healthy, resilient gardening, it is edible landscaping, it is a life style... Does that clear things up? It only muddled things for me, too.

So, I kept reading. Originally the term, ‘permaculture,’ was coined by an Australian, Bill Mollison, in the 1970s as a combination of the words permanent and agriculture to describe a method of farming that was more holistic than large scale farming as it is currently practiced. The story goes that while Mollison worked in Tasmania, he observed how the animals interacted with their environment in such a way that the environment was maintained in a healthy, interconnected condition rather than depleted as in the manner of modern agricultural practices.

He later used these observations to develop a set of principles to practice environmentally friendly farming. These ideas made their way eastward across the Pacific and this focus on environmental design began to work its way from its original foothold on the West Coast, across North America and into our region. It has also begun to take on a life of its own, with many different authors using different principles to come to a similar result.

Was all this really ‘new’ to the East Coast? Do you remember a magazine called Organic Gardening, published by Rodale Press? The Rodale Institute started in Emmaus, PA, in 1947, almost three decades before Mollison began to put his observations into practice. The Rodale Institute is still a source for in-formation on large, small, and backyard agricultural practices that work in Pennsylvania.

So far, I have laid out some trivia for you, and hopefully, you see the move toward holistic gardening is not new at all. In fact, the Native Americans were maintaining permaculture food forests alongside their plantings of the three sisters (corn, beans and winter squash). What all permaculture practitioners have in common are a set of principles that we can translate into our landscaping in Adams County.

It is tempting to think about a specific outcome you want to achieve, and then grab a shovel and head for the back yard. But one permaculture practice everyone agrees on is that we look at the garden, the landscape project, or the entire property as a whole ecosystem. We need to develop a plan.

I like to work with food plants, and that is how I first became interested in permaculture. Years ago, we began adding shredded leaves and grass to the garden and what an improvement to our food! That’s when I began to realize how important soil health was to the health of my plants. Later, I let my dill flower go to seed and put other flowers in some ‘leftover’ space. To my surprise, I didn’t have the aphid problem that usually appeared every fall; instead I had aphid mummies. Braconid wasps feed on small flowers, like dill, and then the females lay their eggs in aphids. Aphid mummies are the remains of parasitized aphids. I wasn’t surprised by the number of butterflies that hung around that summer, either. I hope you can see that slow discovery takes more growing seasons and more trial-and-error learning than a well thought out plan.

You can also see from this example that the garden becomes an ecosystem. Healthy soil results from the action of soil microorganisms on the organic material added to it. Those microorganisms interact with the plants by passing nutrients to them for their growth. Above the ground, turtles, toads and birds join insects as a healthy garden offers different niches to support animal life. It’s my role as the keystone species to make sure balance is maintained. Even if your idea of a garden is space to feed the eyes, mixing a few good looking food plants into your space broadens the ecosystem, another common permaculture practice.

Practicing permaculture means analyzing our land with all its natural shortcomings and assets as part of designing a balanced natural system. You can easily see where the sun is hottest in June, but what about October? Are there windy corners or low areas that tend to collect water? Is your soil clayey? Acid? Naturally nutrient rich?

Remember that you want to work with nature and not against her. It is easier and less expensive to plant a rain garden in a wet area than move the water. Amending the soil with organic matter is always a plus, but trying to turn clay into loam isn’t a practical solution. There are plants you might appreciate that don’t mind heavy soil.

While we are working with nature and keeping costs down, consider fertilizers. You may need to add fertilizers or pulverized lime to get the soil up to snuff at first. Consider using slow release fertilizers, which gradually release their nutrients. Soil organisms hold those nutrients until the plants are ready for them, and this prevents your costly amendments from washing away with the rain. After that, rely on compost, grass clippings, shredded leaves, etc.

Another healthy, natural practice is enlisting the aid of beneficial insects by planting flowers that attract them. We choose flowers and plants to attract pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. We like the color, texture and scent as much as they do. Consider plantings that attract insects that have other garden functions, as well. Tiny flowers, such as those on dill and fennel, are pollinated by lace-wings, braconid wasps and other beneficial insects whose larvae are predators of pests. Choosing a variety of flowers in all sizes and that bloom throughout the season helps the gardener — even the vegetable gardener — minimize insect damage. These practices work together to build resiliency, or the ability of a garden to withstand problems.

Gardening holistically also means that the gardener benefits. Spending time outdoors surrounded by the setting of a garden is also nourishing for the soul. Take time to note which animals — insects, birds, and others — enjoy your garden, too.